Tahini, goma sio and sesame seeds

[Panda]

does anyone know which is better?
unhulled or hulled tahini?
and why?

[eve]

Not sure about 'best', but I always buy unhulled - why wouldn't I want the whole sesame?

[ConsciousCuisine]

Unhulled Sesame has 50% more Calcium, more fiber and protein...

[Mystic]

I buy unhulled.

Unhulled vs hulled is the same idea as brown vs white rice. Unhulled is a whole seed like brown rice is a wholegrain

[Panda]

cool thanks, I have unhulled at the moment so that is good.

I have another question about sesame seeds. someone told me that they are Oxalic. Then they sent me this article on Oxalic acid. Should this be a concern with the consumption of sesame seeds? Just wondering, I shouldn't think it would matter because you prob would need to consume a S**T load of them.


Oxalic acid occurs naturally in quite a large number of plants.
The human body also synthesizes oxalic acid from ascorbic acid (Vitamin
C.) Oxalic acid may combine with calcium, iron, sodium, magnesium, or
potassium to form less soluble salts known as oxalates. Oxalates also
occur naturally in plants.
>
> Since oxalic acid binds with important nutrients, making them
inaccessible to the body, regular consumption of large amounts of foods
high in oxalic acid over a period of weeks to months may result in
nutrient deficiencies, most notably of calcium.
>
> Oxalic acid is a strong acid, and is irritating to tissue all by
itself. Extremely high doses are fatal. Oxalates, on the other hand,
form tiny little insoluble crystals with sharp edges, which are also
irritating to tissue. So, high levels of oxalic acid/oxalates in the diet
lead to irritation of the digestive system, and particularly of the
stomach and kidneys. They may also contribute to the formation of kidney
stones (the most common form of kidney stone is composed of calcium
oxalate).

[Mystic]

To be perfectly honest, I really don't pay much attention to all that stuff. It confuses me! Iron and calcium cancel each other out, oxylic acid blah blah...it is mind boggling. So I just try to eat nutritious food and hope that I am absorbing some nutrition!!!! I just feel that if you eat a highly nutritious diet full of wholegrains, fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, healthy oils and raw nuts and seeds, you cannot go wrong. (Of course there is also nothing wrong with a little bit of junk here and there too!!!!)

Sorry I haven't been helpful - just crapping on a lot!!! I am bored and procrastinating from doing an assignment on childrens literature.

Anyway, I reckon CC will have the answer to this one. She is awesome!!!!

[foxytina_69]

in the 'raw vegans' thread, there were questions on how to make your own raw tahini.

i found a recipe from this link: http://www.purifymind.com/GlutenFree.htm

if you want it raw, you wouldnt toast the seeds. i imagine making homemade tahini is cheaper?

Tahini
· 4 oz (115g) sesame seeds
· 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
· salt

Toast the seeds for 15 minutes. Blend with the oil until smooth. Variations: substitute sunflower seeds, peanuts, almonds, walnuts or cashews for the seeds.

[my3labs]

What's up with Tahini? I can't find it anywhere. Isn't it a sesame paste? Should I look for Sesame Paste, instead? And..is it Indian, asian, etc?
I have so many recipes that call for it and can't find it.

[Artichoke47]

You should be able to find it in the peanut butter section. You're in Seattle? I'm sure they have it. Sometimes it's even at the "regular" grocery store.

It is off-white in color and yes, is sesame paste.

[FR]

Look for Marathon brand raw tahini. They discontinued their conventional line of that and only offer an organic version now, yay!

[Helen_Edwards]

I'm sure Whole Foods Market sell tahini. From their website (www.wholefoodsmarket.com) they have one in Seattle:

Seattle
Whole Foods Market
Roosevelt Square
1026 NE 64th Street
Seattle, WA 98115
206.985.1500
206.985.8500 fax
Store hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

[Franny]

You should be able to find it in a regular grocery store. I haven't had a problem, but it is a bit hidden sometimes. It's usually in with the organic/health foods section of the store. Also, as was mentioned it could be with the peanut butter. You could even try the ethnic food aisle. Just ask though. I'm sure they have it.

[tipsy]

You should be able to find it in a regular grocery store. I haven't had a problem, but it is a bit hidden sometimes. It's usually in with the organic/health foods section of the store. Also, as was mentioned it could be with the peanut butter. You could even try the ethnic food aisle. Just ask though. I'm sure they have it.

i was laughed at for asking this in my local grocery store...

the natural food store kind is good but its like 7 bucks!!!

so i thought i could find it cheaper at the regular grocery store.... i asked and the guy behind the counter looked at me wierd and asked me to spell it.... and then he asked his co-worker-friend and they bust out laughing...

gotta love the inner city chain-owned "food" stores!!

trust you me i spoke with the manager...but i dont think she took me seriously either.

oh well.

[adam antichrist]

I think tahini is middle eastern, an ingrediant in hommus

[FR]

Tahini is sesame seed butter. You can make it from scratch.

I love the stuff!

[Helen_Edwards]

You can often find it in Middle Eastern food stores too, if you're lucky enough to have one near you. They usually sell it in bigger size pots, and it's much cheaper.

[tipsy]

tahini is great!

http://www.annecollins.com/diet_foods/tahini.htm

Tahini
Diet Nutrition
Tahini is a spread made from sesame seeds. Tahini is a good source of essential fatty acids (EFAs). Tahini is a healthy alternative to butter and margarine on bread and toast.

Tahini has a strong, nutty flavour and can be used as a dip on its own or mixed with other dips. Tahini is mashed with chick peas, lemon juice and garlic to make hummus. It is used widely in the Middle East.

Because of it's high oil content, tahini is high in calories and should be eaten in moderation.

Calories in Tahini:
4oz/100g = about 600 calories

[my3labs]

I found it. It was in the health food section of Fred Meyer. There were a few different options so I went with the "Raw" version.
I tried to make hummus with it and it was a dismal failure. I think I blew up my food processor.
I did however, find the best hummus in the world!! It's from a company called Emerald Valley . I have been buying their salsa for years, so I thought I would give their hummus a try.
This is such yummy stuff! Some pita chips and some Emerald Valley Greek Olive & Roasted Garlic hummus!
Seaside: they're in Eugene OR so you could probably find some locally.

[Mystic]

Ideally, I wish I could say I like the unhulled tahini better then the hulled. I spent years hating tahini and avoiding it like the plague, until I convinced myself to try the hulled version. And I love it! Unhulled is too bitter and IMO, unbearable to the pallate.

What about everyone else?

[veganblue]

Ideally, I wish I could say I like the unhulled tahini better then the hulled. I spent years hating tahini and avoiding it like the plague, until I convinced myself to try the hulled version. And I love it! Unhulled is too bitter and IMO, unbearable to the pallate.

What about everyone else?

I buy raw stone ground hulled tahini in 2kg jars. It lasts me a few months. I know that the hull contains a lot of goodness but it also makes a very different product.

Hulled tahini is still rich in Vitamin A, fats and calcium, folate, copper and manganese. I am not sure how much better the unhulled version is, but I am happy getting that which is in the hull from other sources.

[FR]

I am not sure if the kind I get is hulled or unhulled. I know that it is raw, and organic. It is much more thick, and "pasty" than the watered down, almost flavorless one you get at a restaurant. I love the kind I buy. It is sort of bitter, but IMO, it is a yummy bitter.

[abrennan]

There's definitely a difference, the hulled one does have a stronger taste but I like it better. I do eat the other also, if I can't get the hulled I buy the unhulled. It's a matter of personal taste isn't it. Surely the hulled version would better as it is a wholefood. When things are seperated they usually are also reduced in value.

Antony unhulled

[FR]

I guess mine would be hulled then, .

[abrennan]

I guess mine would be hulled then, .

Yeah sorry I was meaning to type that but I got carried away

have you tried Halva made with tahini, sall sweel!!!

[FR]

Yeah sorry I was meaning to type that but I got carried away

have you tried Halva made with tahini, sall sweel!!!

No. Probably would like to.

[abrennan]

No. Probably would like to.

here's a recipe in case you can't get it locally

http://vegweb.com/recipes/sweets/3700.shtml

[Mystic]

Stuffing dates with tahini tastes like halva

[Michael Benis]

unhulled!

[twinkle]

I'll take either these days.

Does depend what I'm using them for though - for a tahini, lemon juice and garlic sauce to go over falafel the hulled is probably preferable.

This is reminding me of a chocolate spread I made once - tahini, sugar and cocoa heated in a pan until the sugar has melted and the cocoa is a bit cooked. Once it's cooled down you can keep it in a jar in the fridge and use it on toast, in freshly made ciabatta rolls, in a cake....ummmmmm. Where's the drooling smiley?

[Mystic]

I bought some of this back from the US, and I gagged when I opened the jar - it reminded me of tar I couldn't even taste it! Does it taste nice anyway in particular???? Or is it gross??? I don't want to waste it coz it cost $10 US ($13AU) - I know I am a tightass - maybe Odi will like it???

[ConsciousCuisine]

You could mix it with something sweet to make a candy or cookies (brown rice syrup or agave or chopped dates ) also you could make a "neat loaf" and use it as a rich binder (mix it in with veggie balls) or make patties and fry/bake them or make a sauce to go over steamed greens or...well, you get the idea

[Artichoke47]

Black tahini? Never heard of it. Ew.

[Mystic]

Here is a link for black tahini. It is just made from black sesame seeds, like normal tahini. It just looks vile.

[tipsy]

it does look vile!

iv heard of it being used before, but never used it, i think its a bit too repulsive looking to go in my mouth!

[Tigerlily]

Um, maybe some Halloween spooky decorations?

[Mystic]

LOL I threw it out

[Korn]

Some interesting links about sesame seeds:

The world's healthiest foods: Sesame seeds

Calcium content in tahini

Gomasio (Sesame salt) from The Fanatic Cook

Gomasio (from macrodiet.com)

Foods that heal - sesame seeds

Yahoo on sesame seeds

Wikipedia on sesame

Sesame, one of the oldest seeds known to man

[Korn]

From one of the links above (http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj96jul/vj967hot.htm):

The USDA has different data for the nutritional content of tahini, depending upon the way in which the sesame seeds were processed. The calcium content of "sesame butter, tahini" as listed in the USDA's Handbook 8, Section 12 (revised in 1984) refers to tahini made from roasted and toasted kernels. One tablespoon contains 64 milligrams of calcium. The Home and Garden Bulletin #72 gives a figure of 21 milligrams of calcium in one tablespoon of tahini made from unroasted kernels. Another USDA specification, for tahini made with "raw and stone ground kernels," is 63 milligrams of calcium in a tablespoon. Most nutrient data bases use Handbook 8 as their source of nutrition information; so information for tahini will usually refer to the "roasted and toasted" variety.

One ounce of toasted sesame kernels (hulled seeds) contains 37 milligrams of calcium, whereas one ounce of whole, toasted and roasted seeds contains a whopping 281 milligrams of calcium.

Now to complicate matters even more: the hull of the sesame seed contains a large amount of calcium relative to the kernel; that's why tahini made with whole seeds has more calcium than tahini made with hulled seeds. However, further discussion with the staff at the USDA's Nutrient Data Laboratory revealed that the calcium in the hull is present as calcium oxalate. Oxalates have been shown, in laboratory tests, to reduce the body's absorption of calcium. Does this mean that the calcium from whole-seed tahini is not well-absorbed? Is tahini, in fact, a good source of calcium for vegetarians or not?

Connie Weaver, Ph.D., a nutrition scientist and department head at Purdue University, has conducted a considerable amount of research on calcium absorption rates from numerous plant foods. However, she is not aware of any research on the absorption rates of calcium from sesame seed hulls.

I also spoke with Nancy Siebert at the National Institute of Health's National Center for Nutrition. Nancy took a pragmatic approach to the question:

"Twenty-one milligrams versus 64 milligrams, big deal! We never really know what the true absorption rate is for specific nutrients in any food. It depends upon too many factors. Besides, tahini is mostly fat, so it's not as if people would want to eat lots of it anyway."

Nancy's point is well taken. Nutrients in foods interact with each other, and the absorption of any nutrient depends, in part, upon the foods that are eaten with it and the nutrients and other substances those foods contain. It also depends upon the body's need for the particular nutrient. Our bodies can adapt to varying dietary conditions; when we need more of many nutrients, the body may compensate and become more efficient at absorbing them.

The bottom line: the calcium content of tahini varies, and the amount you absorb will depend upon multiple factors anyway. Look at tahini as being a reasonably-good source of calcium, but don't plan to rely on it as the primary source. Stick to some good overall principles of meal planning: eat a variety of foods, including plenty of vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains. Get enough calories to meet your energy needs, and limit the sweets and fatty junk foods that displace more nutritious foods from your diet. Follow these common-sense guidelines, and most nutrition issues will fall into place.

Other links:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?t...spice&dbid=84:

Calcium Helps Prevent Colon Cancer, Osteoporosis, Migraine and PMS

In recent studies, calcium has been shown to:

Help protect colon cells from cancer-causing chemicals
Help prevent the bone loss that can occur as a result of menopause or certain conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis
Help prevent migraine headaches in those who suffer from them
Reduce PMS symptoms during the luteal phase (the second half) of the menstrual cycle
There is a little bit of controversy about sesame seeds and calcium, because there is a substantial difference between the calcium content of hulled versus unhulled sesame seeds. When the hulls remain on the seeds, one tablespoon of sesame seeds will contains about 88 milligrams of calcium. When the hulls are removed, this same tablespoon will contain about 37 milligrams (about 60% less). Tahini-a spreadable paste made from ground sesame seeds-is usually made from hulled seeds (seeds with the hulls removed, called kernels), and so it will usually contain this lower amount of calcium.

The term "sesame butter" can sometimes refer to tahini made from sesame seed kernels, or it can also be used to mean a seed paste made from whole sesame seeds-hull included.

Although the seed hulls provide an additional 51 milligrams of calcium per tablespoon of seeds, the calcium found in the hulls appears in large part to be found in the form of calcium oxalate. This form of calcium is different than the form found in the kernels, and it is a less absorbable form of calcium. So even though a person would be likely to get more calcium from sesame seeds or sesame seed butter that contained the hulls, there is a question about how much more calcium would be involved. It would defintely be less than the 51 additional milligrams found in the seed hulls. And there would also, of course, be a question about the place of hull-containing sesame seeds on an oxalate-restricted diet.

http://www.vegansociety.com/food/nutrition/calcium.php

Vegan Sources of Calcium
Good plant sources of calcium include:
Green leafy vegetables: spring greens, kale, broccoli, parsley.
It is important to note that spinach is not a good source of calcium. It is high in calcium, but the calcium is bound to oxalates and therefore poorly absorbed
Fortified foods such as soya milk
White flour (as calcium is added by law) and white flour products
Calcium-set tofu
Oranges
Ground sesame seeds (tahini)
The calcium content is high but variable and absorption of calcium from tahini is not proven so tahini should not be relied upon as a main source
Figs and black molasses
Drinking hard water can provide 200mg of calcium daily, although soft water contains almost none[2]
Examples of amounts of foods providing 100mg calcium[3]
Type of Food grams
Almonds 42g
Black Treacle 18g
Broccoli 250g
Carob 29g
Chickpeas (boiled) 217g
Curly Kale (boiled) 67g
Currants 108g
Chickpea flour 56g
Figs 40g
Oranges 212g
Soya Milk (calcium-fortified) 83g
Spring Greens (cooked) 133g
Tahini 15g
Tofu (made with calcium sulphate) 33g
Watercress (uncooked) 59g
White Plain Flour 71g
Wholemeal Flour 263g
White Bread 56g
Wholemeal Bread 94g
Brown Bread 54g
Granary Bread 48g

http://drbenkim.com/recipestahinidressing.html

Tahini Dressing Recipe

Ingredients:

2 heaping tablespoons of raw, organic tahini
1/2 clove of garlic
Juice of 1/4 of a lemon
Sea salt, to taste
Water

Directions:

Blend all ingredients, adding water slowly until desired consistency is reached.

(Comment: alternatively, use one clove of garlic, a half lemon and some olive oil. Plus black pepper.

[Mahk]

"The USDA has different data for the nutritional content of tahini, depending upon the way in which the sesame seeds were processed."

I would think another very critical aspect is how well you chew them. I notice, um, by "visual inspection", that a good number of sesame seeds pass right through me and I doubt I've absorbed much of their nutritional content. This would make tahini a better bet than whole seeds, nutritionally speaking.

I think most of the nutritional data sites liquefy their test sample prior to analysis so their figures might not be very representative of what we actually absorb.